Basin dam



F. w. 'WEHN A May 18, 1937.

BAS-IN DAM F. w. WEHN May 18, 1937.

BASIN DAM Filed July 10, 19:55

2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Patented May 18, 1937 UNITED STATES .PHATENTIAOFFICEI BASIN D AM Fred w. Wehn, Pomona, oalir. 7 Application July 10, 1935; Serial No. 30,698 c I 3Clai1ns. ((3161-) This invention relates to dams which may be more particularly designated as basin dams and has for its principal object the production of a simple and efficient dam which is so constructed as to throw the pressure of the water in the dam against the side walls and floor or bottom of the canyon rather than away from the side walls, as is the tendency with most dams now in use.

Another object of this invention is the production of a basin dam wherein the side walls of the dam are extended higher than the main dam in a manner to direct the flood waters toward the center or spillway of the dam for preventing the washing away of the side walls of the canyon.

A still further object of this invention is the productionof a semi-circular basin dam which will be sturdy in structure and which will resist shocks such as earthquakes, as well as strain and pressure caused by water within the dam.-

Other objects and advantages of the present invention will appear throughout the following specification and claims.

Figure 1 is. a top plan view of the dam;

Figure 2 is a longitudinal section taken on line 22 of Figure 1;

Figure 3 is a vertical section taken on line 3-3 of Figure 2;

Figure 4 is a longitudinal section through a modified form of spillway;

Figure 5 is a transverse sectional view of a modified type of flood control aqueduct; and

Figure 6 is a diagrammatic view illustrating the contour of the front end of the dam looking toward the basin I0.

By referring to the drawings, it will be seen that Ill designates the basin whichis preferably semi-circular in formation, curved or sloping up stream, and having its open end facing up stream. The basin I0, as stated above, is preferably semi-circular as shown in Figure 1, the side walls II curving from the front of the dam and from the sides of the canyon I2 toward the central elevated spillway I3, as shown in Figure 1. Directly in the rear of the basin I0 is a second basin I4 having curved walls I5 curving from the central spillway I3 laterally toward the banks or walls of the canyon I2, the basin I4 constituting the outlet. By noting Figure 1 in particular, it will be seen that the formation of the dam, as illustrated, embodying the basins I0 and I4 will provide a spillway I3 constituting a bridge between the basins I0 and I 4, the spillway I3 which constitutes a bridge being re upon either side of-the spillway I3 and between the basins I0 and I4. This is particularly illustrated in Figure 1 In order that adequate provision may be had, for flood control, a flood control aqueduct I1 to the basin I 0. The upstanding portion I9 of the aqueduct I1 is provided with an open-upper shown in Figure2.

Should it be desired; an aqueduct circular in end 20 and transversely extending ports 2I,-as

cross section such as is illustrated by the numeral 22 in Figure 5 may be substituted forthe aqueduct H which is rectangular in cross section.

As previously stated and by noting particularly Figure 2 the spillway I3 is elevated and the.

basin I0 is provided with an inclined bottom preferably formed of cement or other plastic material indicated by the numeral 23. This plastic bottom 23 extends from the forward end'of the basin IB and is inclined upwardly toward the elevated spillway l3 which elevated spillway I3 is also provided with a cement or plastic floor 24. The bottom 23 of the basin I 0 is braced and supported by a series'of pairs of upright walls =25, the series of walls being grouped-inpairs, as described and also illustrated in Figure 2, and

the walls of the respective pairs are preferably braced by a metallic frame-work 26 to provide a sturdy structure which will withstand vibration, jars and strain to which the dam may be subjected from time to time. The various pairs of walls are arranged in spaced relation and in crescent-like formationthrough the transverse area of the basin II], these pairs of walls being arranged upon the arc of a circle, the outer ends of the respective pairs of walls converging toward the front end of the dam and being gradually inclined from their centers toward their outer forward ends to efiiciently support the plastic bottom 23 of the basin II].

The spillway I3 or the floor 24 thereof, is supported'at its rear end by a vertically-extending wall 2'! and a rear upwardly and forwardly inclined wall 28, between which walls is arranged a metallic skeleton reinforcing frame-work 29, the

Stricted. in its Width f oprovide earth fi1l-poc walls 21 and 28 being preferably formed of plastic material such as cement and the like. Aplurality of longitudinally extending reinforcing girders constituting skeleton metallic frame-work 30 are arranged between the walls 21 and the wall a of the rear group of pairs of walls 25 previously described to constitute an efficient bracing or reinforcing medium directly under the spillway |3 and these bracing frames 3|! may be arranged in any desired number to accomplish the desired result. It is preferable, however, to employ a series of these bracing metallic frames and they may be arranged one above the other, such as is illustrated in Figure 2. In order that the plastic bottom or cement bottom 23 and floor 24 may be properly protected, the bottom 23 and floor 24 may be, covered by a metallic sheet or metallic plates 3|. The metallic through the sheet 3| and into the walls 25, 25a,

21 and 28 which support the bottom 23 and floor 24. This sheet metal covering 3| may extend over the entire face of the bottom 23 and floor 24 and extend vertically of the side walls II and |5.to provide an upstanding protecting shield 33 along the side curved edges of the basin I0 and an upstanding shield 34 along the sides of the spillway 3. A similar shield 35 may also be extended around the upper edge of the basin l4, as shown in Figure 2.

It is preferable to fill the space between the pairs of walls 25 and in fact between the walls of each pair with earth fill, such as indicated by the numeral 36 and the space between the walls 25a and 21 may also be similarly filled with an earth fill 31. Should it be desired, however, the earth fill may be eliminated from between the walls 25a, 21 and 28 without departing from the spirit of the invention, such as is illustrated in detail in Figure 4. The whole device may be thoroughly and efficiently braced by providing the earth fill between the various walls and skeleton bracing frame-work such as is illustrated in detail in Figures 1 and 2.

As shown in Figures 1 and 2, I preferably extend a pair of relatively short walls 38 and 39 in parallel relation across the front edge of the dam or basin In which may be reinforced in a manner similar to the pairs of walls 25 by means of a metallic skeleton frame-work 40.

In addition to throwing the weight of the water in the dam against the side walls of the canyon rather than away from the side walls, the weight of the water will be exerted upon the floor of the dam forcing the floor of the dam down tight upon the floor of the canyon upon which the dam is built. The deeper the water, the more strongly the dam will be held in place.

By considering the drawings, and from the above description it will be seen that the slope of the basin I0 is curved or slopes downstream toward the spillway, restraining all pressure from the main dam which is formed by the vertically extending walls reinforced by the skeleton metallic frame-work. It should be further understood that the basin ID or the surface of the floor of the basin is covered with steel or iron sheet or plates, thereby eificiently protecting the plastic bottom 23 which in turn is braced by the series or pairs of curved supporting walls and the earth fill between the walls. It will therefore be seen that these pairs or series of walls will constitute an efficient core for the earth fills and the walls by being circular in form will tend to throw all the pressure against the side walls of the canyon rather than away from them, as is now the tendency in most dams. When the pressure is thrown away from the side walls there is a tendency for the 5 dam to split in the upper sides of the dam. The curved sloping basin forming a segment of a sphere as disclosed will tend to prevent the splitting of the dam and the basin will be efficiently braced'due to the earth fill whichfits between the basins l0 and I4 adjacent the spillway I3, note Figure 1. Furthermore, the flood control aqueduct |1 preferably extends quite a distance in advance of the dam in order to carry off a desired quantity of water before the same reaches the dam. It should be understood that by extending the side walls ll of the dam vertically, as shown in Figures 2, l and 6 above the natural grade of the side walls of the canyon I2, and extending portions of the sheet metal facing 3| upwardly against the extended portions of the walls as shown at 33, 34, and 35 the water will not tend to seep over the side walls between the sides-of the canyon and the dam, but will be directed toward thecenter spillway |3. The steel or metallic sheet preferably extends over .the entire concretefloor or bottom of the basin III, as well as the top of the spillway, as shown, and this will constitute an efiicient brace together with the steel girders whichw tie the walls together. It is preferable to provide a seamless dam and the walls by being of various depths and providing an eflicient support for the inclined curved bottom 23 will tend to eliminate seepage and prevent the forming of ,stratan Through the medium of the skeleton-like metal frame-work the entire structure may be strongly tied together and efiiciently braced to provide means to withstand earthquakes, the. wallslbeing lightand flexible and tending tolprovide against cracking and splitting.

Having described the invention, what is claimed as new is:-- 'I 1. A dam of the .class described comprising upper and lower basins, an elevated spillway con-$2545 necting said basins midway the width of the dam,

a flood control aqueduct for delivering water from a point upstream above the dam to a point downstream beyond said spillway, said. aqueduct extending longitudinally through the floor of saidnr o dam with its lower end opening into the lower basin and itsupper end terminating in front of and beyond said upper basin, and said aqueduct having at its upper end a vertically extending inlet portion open at its top and formed with trans-2:

versely extending water entrance openings.

2. A dam of the class described comprising an inlet basin and an outlet basin, a spillway interposed between the basins, companion pairs of spaced walls conforming to the contour of the inlet basin and each being arcuate transversely of the dam, an inclined bottom for said inlet basin supported upon said walls, a metallic skeleton framework interposed between each pair of companion walls for bracing the same and also between certain of the pairs of walls, and the pairs of walls being spaced to provide earth-filling spaces to tie and anchor the dam in position.

3. A dam of the class described comprising an inlet basin and an outlet basin, an elevated spill- 70 way communicating with the basins, said inlet basin being open at its front and concave in formation and having an inclined bottom extending from the open front end of the inlet basin upwardly toward said spillway, arcuate bracing 7 walls supporting said bottom and extending transversely across the basin with their ends adjacent opposite sides of the open front of the basin, transversely extending bracing walls across the front end of said inlet basin for supporting the front end of said bottom and engaged by ends of the arouate walls to brace the arcuate walls, a. metallic covering for said' bottom, and anchoring means extending down through said walls and the metallic covering 'for anchoring the metallic covering in position.

FRED W. WEHN. 

